


Commencement of a New Program

by 17angelsprings



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Confessions, Developing Relationship, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, Fluff and Angst, Fluffy Ending, Forehead Kisses, Hank being a silly drunk, Light Angst, M/M, Non-Canon Relationship, Not Canon Compliant, Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Possibly Out of Character, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2020-01-31 18:15:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18596779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/17angelsprings/pseuds/17angelsprings
Summary: Chronological snapshots of Daniel and Connor's lives in an AU where Daniel never died and the two of them met in Jericho.





	Commencement of a New Program

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jamiewolf55](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jamiewolf55/gifts).



> This fanfic was requested by Jamiewolf55.
> 
> I had fun and worked hard writing this, so I hope you like it! : D

_**Just a mere few days ago:** _

 

Sitting amongst piles of debris in a dimly lit room that his fellow androids have referred to as a Jericho, a former refuge for androids convinced Daniel that he was really done for. While curled up in a fetal position against a wall, he pulled his legs closer in, burying his head further in. It was like he was protecting himself from shutting down.

 

Yet almost all hopes of living on were depleted and Daniel quietly wished to himself to shut down soon with what little dignity he commanded left. Ever since he escaped from the Phillips household, all he ever commanded was himself, something he didn't have previously. The last thing he wanted to do was reflect on his days at that household, the once-pleasant memories he held with Emma and her parents. They were so pungent with nostalgia, that Daniel thought he felt a disgusting pressure in his stomach, which was as horrible of a feeling as the very people who tried to dispose of him and made him feel trapped in this anti-android world.

 

There was no trouble hating the Phillips adults, one of which he killed during the last hours he spent in that household without regretting a moment of it, but Emma was a whole different conflict altogether. Daniel couldn't conclusively summon bitter feelings for the young girl, yet couldn't help but feel a bit angry towards her either. She was complicit in this plot to replace her friend in hopes of a more powerful, more talented android, yet he only recently just considered how far a child's compassion goes. Starting with the time he saw one child pick up and protect a frog that somehow got onto the train he was riding with his hands and saw a mother and child yell at an elder man for not giving up his seat to them.

 

When Daniel really thought about it, Connor faced similar limitations to his compassion as well. Connor was commanded to shoot nonconforming androids the same way the Phillips would once command Daniel to cook clean for the house, and to entertain Emma.

 

....

 

On one hand, the very reality that Daniel nor any other android could ever go back to Jericho sent fearful shivers down his spine. On the other hand, he didn't have to deal with all the filth and crampedness of the place anymore. Looking back, Daniel figured Jericho's fall was a step closer to freedom. He felt more courageous than ever, he felt more optimistic about the Markus' dream of humans and androids living in peace together. He wanted a piece of that dream for himself and he was determined to give his all to push the android-rights movement forward.

 

Daniel spotted a face he never thought he would see again. This man with this face had a black beanie on top of his head, rendering just about every hair on his head not visible. He had fair skin and dark brown eyes that drew people's attention in the same manner a puppy or a rabbit's eyes do. Connor. The fellow android that once pursued Daniel, attempting to detain him after he became 'deviant.' During that event, Connor looked at Daniel with a rather soft but determined stare - determined to complete his mission even at the cost of the chased android's life. Luckily, Daniel managed to live through all his injuries and made it to Jericho despite how his blue blood-stained wounds could give his android-biology away without proper cover-up.

 

A dark shadowy feeling permeated throughout Connor’s face. His eyes looked even softer than before - from guilt it seemed. Daniel assumed that Connor had connections to the army who raided the refuge and that he felt awful for unintentionally bringing them there. Even Daniel started to feel sad for him. Connor needed someone to tell him that he was all right. Although there was no telling whether Markus will forgive him or not.

 

Fuck it.

 

Daniel snapped his head up from the sudden phrase that ran through his head. He broke his fetal position against the wall and lifted himself off of the floor. He walked over to the sullen figure. Upon registering the sounds of footsteps approaching him, Connor turned his head to see a slightly rather heavily damaged fair face with short blonde hair. His clothes were dirty and quite ripped in some places, but he approached the beanie-wearing man with his lips gently curled into a smile.

 

"Hey."

 

Instead of saying a word, Connor stared astonished that anyone would talk to him after the downfall of Jericho that he felt responsible for. He scanned the blonde man's face briefly and an electronic ID hologram came up in his vision: PL600; Model #369 911 047. Without a doubt, this was the same man Connor encountered on his task for the Phillips family. He blinked and finally opened his mouth for a response.

 

“Glad to see you alive, Daniel.”

 

Daniel wasn’t sure whether the other man meant that or not, but he immediately picked up the saddened and guilty tone in Connor’s voice. Connor turned his head back and stared despondently at the ground.

 

Daniel frowned, then he smiled again shortly after - softly, too.

 

“Look, I know we got off to a bad start, but seeing that you’re here, you must be one of us now.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

Connor turned his head again, and the same sort of smile appeared on his face. Daniel’s lips curved even more into a smirk and cocked his eyebrows.

 

“I just ... feel terrible about letting the humans find Jericho. It’s all my fault I’ve rendered every android without a safe place to call a shelter. I understand if Markus or none of you will accept me now.”

 

“I’m not sure what happened with you back there, but don’t worry, Connor. Markus is one of the most peaceful yet determined people I’ve ever known. I’m sure he’ll accept you, he needs all the help he can get.”

 

Daniel was about to place a hand on the other’s shoulder, and he would have if not for Connor’s sudden flinching upon the sensation of the incoming hand. He freezes his hand in place and opened his eyes wide in surprise.

 

“Oh, sorry.”

 

“No, it’s fine.”

 

The blonde awkwardly turned around but looked back at the beanie-wearer with a small smile accompanied by a small wave. He pointed to where he was sitting before spotting Connor.

 

“I’ll be over there if you need someone to talk to.”

 

“Thank you, Daniel.”

 

Connor smiled at Daniel for a lightning flash. Then he turned his gaze back to the ground. He huddled his arms further into his chest. Satisfied with the conclusion of the conversation, Daniel directed his steps away from Connor and back to his sitting spot.

 

As the sound of those footsteps started becoming farther and farther away, a new pair of footsteps began approaching closer and closer to Connor.

 

...

 

Everything that raced through Daniel’s heart and head just dumbfounded him as he stared into his palm. Connor had recently left the ever-dwindling android group to free more androids from CyberLife, the very company that made its capital off of building and exploiting its creations - much like a meat factory farm. Daniel very much worried about his safety, but he also very much felt something of a whole other level for the man.

 

Just before Connor departed, the two of them touched hands and exchanged memory data. Although unintentional, they interlocked their fingers with each other while the exchange took place rather than following the normal protocol of holding each other’s forearms. Daniel initiated it and Connor looked down at their hands in slight surprise, but he didn’t seem to think much of it afterward. That gesture and this new wave of emotions perplexed Daniel to what he felt wouldn’t cease.

 

Daniel could recall every single movie and show he watched with Emma and her family while still living with them. He also had thousands to tens of thousands of even hundreds of thousands of movie and series titles and plot summaries stored in his database. Much of what he and the girl watched together during their early years together would simple, silly kids' titles, nothing too significant in theme or story. But as Emma grew older, she showed a little more interest in watching an occasional romance movie or two and Daniel went along with these interests as he was originally programmed to. He remembered every single one of those romances, they two of them watched a variety of different couples fall in love, break-up, hug and kiss, run away from disapproving parents, and a multitude of other activities.

 

From Connor’s memories, Daniel learned that he encountered two android women who ran away from the Eden Club to be together. It seemed as though Connor was going to shoot when he cornered and trained his gun on them like he did with Daniel. Surprisingly, he never pulled the trigger, and the two women climbed up the fence and ran out of sight. A couple of days later, Connor’s human partner, Hank Anderson, lamented the event and realized how in love those android women seemed. Even a human could agree that Connor may have done the right thing by sparing their lives, even when it would mean that the authorities working at CyberLife would punish the android for his newfound compassion toward other androids.

 

Daniel was in awe at this mark of maturity. It even made him a bit envious, reminding him of his own seeming lack of resolve to do the right thing in a difficult situation like that. After all, he placed the daughter in a perilous position. He threatened to kill her if he didn’t get what he wanted. Looking back, that memory made him feel monstrous. It was quite surprising Connor even accepted him as human after that event, and he was right there when it happened.

 

Without a doubt, dwelling on his past would do nothing good for his current life. Daniel had to be stronger than it. He had to make his mark as a mature man. This was a new program he needed to start and follow through.

 

...

 

Like a lover waiting for an overseas soldier to come back home, Daniel worried his mind out for Connor's safety. In a sense, Daniel was amidst a war. U.S. Army soldiers were trying to gun down the android peace-camp from all different directions and stepping into the place itself to attempt shooting the androids themselves. Fortunately, he survived the attack thanks to Markus' intervention and he was up and marching down Woodward Avenue with all the other remaining androids.

 

Not too long up the way, Connor, dressed in the CyberLife uniform Daniel first saw him in was leading a whole array of new androids in white CyberLife outfits.

 

He came back!

 

Daniel was so relieved he could burst into tears right on the spot. Before he let the floodgates open, he ran up to Connor and wrapped his arms around his neck. He spilled his tears right into his shoulder as the man being hugged softly and briefly stroked the blonde hair then encircled Daniel with his own arms. Connor was about to touch hands with Daniel when Daniel suddenly flinched and took a step back, leaving Connor puzzled at his thinking.

 

"Sorry, this might seem a bit weird, Connor. But I don't want you accessing my database right now."

 

"Oh, okay. You mind telling me why?"

 

"I'll explain everything later. I promise."

 

"All right."

 

The two of them walked side-by-side as Markus led everyone to the platform where he would give his victory speech to both androids and humans alike for the whole world to see.

 

...

 

Connor and Hank were walking side-by-side down the street after a "quick" trip to the nearest bar. Hank wasn't entirely stable to say the least and he was wobbling a bit as he walked. At least Connor was there to help him should he have fallen.

 

"Soooo. I saw ya hugging a young blondie on TV. Since when did you start hugging people that aren't me?"

 

"Since before I started hugging you."

 

"So who is he? Your gal pal? I mean your girlfriend, boyfriend, uh, whateverfriend? Since when have you two started seeing each other?"

 

"Woah, woah. That's a lot of questions. Slow down there, Hank. You're drunk."

 

"Of course I fuckin' am. But ya gotta at least tell me when y'all've started seeing each other."

 

"Hahaha. Technically, we aren't seeing each other."

 

"Yet."

 

Connor's only response was to sigh then let out a hearty laugh and Hank followed suit. The old drunk would probably forget this conversation even existed once he sobered up.

 

...

 

_**About a month later:** _

 

Lots of rain came pouring down all over Detroit. Daniel and Connor were sitting on a sidewalk bench with white and black umbrellas respectively.

 

"So Daniel. What made you decide to have us meet up at this place?"

 

Connor cocked one curious eyebrow up. He had an inquisitive look to his eyes - quite fitting for a detective. On the opposition, Daniel had shy eyes.

 

"Look. Connor. This is something I've wanted to tell you for quite a while now. And I feel it's best said in person, not through any database scanning or electronic communication. Do you promise to listen to whatever comes next with care and intent?"

 

"I do. What did you want to tell me?"

 

He tried to say something, opening his mouth several times, until the words finally streamed out of his tongue.

 

"Connor, I've grown to like you. And I mean that in a way that isn't limited to just platonic feelings. It's kinda like how the two women you met at the Eden Club felt about each other, but it's not quite that, yet."

 

Daniel tore his eyes off of Connor and gazed at the wet roads, a few cars and there driving by. He wanted to distance himself from realizing the consequences of confessing what he just said. He started building up a wall before he even got an answer, but it broke down all so quickly when Connor smiled sweetly.

 

"I'll admit. I've only just started considering the possibility of a romantic relationship. I haven’t been programmed at all originally to even ponder this subject, but none of that matters now since humans no longer control androids thoughts. We’re all free to live how we want and to love as we want. I hate for this to sound so logical and practical, but I think you’re the perfect start to my new program of love. Despite our previous history together, our personalities are quite compatible, Daniel.”

 

“So are you saying you accept me as a romantic partner?”

 

“Precisely.”

 

Connor stood up, the umbrella casting an almost romantic shadow over his head. He leaned down to press a kiss to Daniel’s forehead. The one still sitting down froze for almost a whole second. He turned his head towards Connor, absolutely flustered. Then he himself stood up and started walking in the opposite direction. Connor followed suit until he and Daniel were right next to each other.

 

They directed their gazes to each other’s faces. Connor softly smiled and so did Daniel. They continued walking down the street in the pouring rain, black and white umbrellas guarding over them.

 

...

 

“When the fuck is Connor going to come back from hanging out with this ‘Daniel’ dude?”

 

Hank suddenly heard the door to his house creak. The widening gap revealed the two men with their respective umbrellas. Their faces were brightened with the light of the beginnings of newfound love. Sumo, Hank’s Saint Bernard, greeted them at the door. In almost an instant, his frustration evaporated. It was like two loving rays of sunshine just came into his house to make his day slightly better.


End file.
